Veronica plant named ‘Dovercanhopi’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Veronica plant named ‘Dovercanhopi’, characterized by its relatively compact and upright plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit and moderate growth rate; freely basal branching habit; freely flowering habit on first year&#39;s growth; dense inflorescences with numerous purplish red-colored flowers; and good perfotmance as a container and garden plant.

Botanical designation: Veronica hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘DOVERCANHOPI’.

PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY INVENTOR & APPLICANT/ASSIGNEE

An European Community Plant Breeder's Rights application for the instantplant was filed by the Applicant/Assignee, Dümmen Group B.V. of De Lier,The Netherlands on Nov. 4, 2022, application number 2022/2474. Foreignpriority is not claimed to this application.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Veronicaplant, botanically known as Veronica hybrida, typically grown as acontainer or garden plant and hereinafter referred to by the name‘Dovercanhopi’.

The new Veronica plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands. The objective ofthe breeding program is to create new Veronica plants with attractiveflowers arranged on long inflorescences and good container and gardenperformance.

The new Veronica plant originated from an open-pollination in April,2016 of an unidentified proprietary selection of Veronica hybrida, notpatented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unknown proprietaryselection of Veronica hybrida as the male, or pollen, parent. The newVeronica plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a singleflowering plant from within the progeny of the stated open-pollinationin a controlled greenhouse environment in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands inJune, 2017.

Asexual reproduction of the new Veronica plant by terminal stem cuttingsin a controlled greenhouse environment in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands,since June, 2017 has shown that the unique features of this new Veronicaplant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Veronica have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variancein genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Dovercanhopi’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘Dovercanhopi’ as a new and distinct Veronicaplant:

-   -   1. Relatively compact and upright plant habit.    -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit and moderate growth rate.    -   3. Freely basal branching habit.    -   4. Freely flowering habit on first year's growth.    -   5. Dense inflorescences with numerous purplish red-colored        flowers.    -   6. Good performance as a container and garden plant.

Plants of the new Veronica differ primarily from plants of the femaleparent selection in time to flower as plants of the new Veronica flowerearlier than plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Veronica can be compared to plants of Veronicalongifolia ‘Vernique Dark Blue’, not patented. In side-by-sidecomparisons, plants of the new Veronica differ primarily from plants of‘Vernique Dark Blue’ in flower color as plants of the new Veronica havepurplish red-colored flowers whereas plants of ‘Vernique Dark Blue’ havedark blue-colored flowers. In addition, plants of the new Veronicaflower earlier than plants of ‘Vernique Dark Blue’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the Veronica plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the actualcolors of the new Veronica plant.

The photograph on the first sheet (FIG. 1 ) comprises a side perspectiveview of a typical flowering plant of ‘Dovercanhopi’ grown in acontainer.

The photograph on the second sheet (FIG. 2 ) comprises close-up views ofa typical inflorescence and the upper and lower surfaces of typicalleaves of ‘Dovercanhopi’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used for the aforementioned photographs and following descriptionwere grown in 17-cm containers during the summer in a glass-coveredgreenhouse in Aalsmeer, The Netherlands and under cultural practicestypical of commercial Veronica production. During the production of theplants, day temperatures averaged 21C and night temperatures averaged15C. Plants were 19 weeks old when the photographs and the descriptionwere taken. In the following description, color references are made toThe Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, Fifth Edition, exceptwhere general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Veronica hybrida ‘Dovercanhopi’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unidentified proprietary selection            of Veronica hybrida, not patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown proprietary selection of            Veronica hybrida, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal stem cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 16 days at            temperatures about 26C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 21 days at            temperatures about 23C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 24 days            at temperatures about 23C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 28 days            at temperatures about 18C.        -   Root description.—Medium in thickness, fibrous; typically            white to light yellow in color, actual color of the roots is            dependent on substrate composition, water quality,            fertilizer type and formulation, substrate temperature and            physiological age of roots.        -   Rooting habit.—Moderately freely branching; medium density.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant type.—Herbaceous perennial.        -   Plant and growth habit.—Relatively compact and upright plant            habit with long and dense inflorescences; overall plant            shape, oblong to narrowly oblong; moderately vigorous growth            habit and moderate growth rate.        -   Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 17            cm.        -   Plant height, soil level to top of floral plane.—About 24            cm.        -   Plant width.—About 23 cm.        -   Lateral branch description.—Branching habit: Freely basal            branching habit with about twelve primary stems per plant            each with up to two secondary branches; pinching is not            required, but will enhance lateral branching potential.            Length (excluding inflorescence): About 23 cm. Diameter:            About 3 mm. Internode length: About 2 cm. Strength: Strong.            Aspect: Erect to about 20 degrees from vertical. Texture and            luster: Smooth, glabrous; glossy. Color, developing: Close            to 144B. Color, developed: Close to 59A.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, single.        -   Length.—About 6 cm.        -   Width.—About 1.7 cm.        -   Shape.—Lanceolate.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Obtuse.        -   Margin.—Crenate with shallow and divergent indentations.        -   Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth,            glabrous; glossy.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate and reticulate.        -   Color.—When opening, upper surface: Close to N137D. When            opening, lower surface: Close to 137B. Fully expanded            leaves, upper surface: Close to 146A; venation, close to            146A. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 146C;            venation, close to 146C.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 2 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Strength: Relatively weak. Texture and luster, upper and            lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; glossy. Color, upper            surface: Close to 143B. Color, lower surface: Close to 144B.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement and shape.—Single campanulate flowers            arranged on dense terminal racemes; flowers face mostly            outwardly.        -   Flowering habit.—Freely flowering habit with about 115            flowers per inflorescence and about 1,860 flowers developing            per plant during the flowering season.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Long flowering period; plants            flower continuously from June to August in The Netherlands;            plants begin flowering about ten weeks after planting;            flowers not persistent.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 4 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Shape: Elliptic. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous;            matte. Color: Close to 67A.        -   Inflorescence height (length).—About 7 cm.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 2 cm.        -   Flower diameter.—About 6 mm by 9 mm.        -   Flower length.—About 6 mm.        -   Throat diameter.—About 1 mm.        -   Tube length.—About 2 mm.        -   Tube diameter.—About 2 mm.        -   Petals.—Quantity and arrangement: Four in a single whorl;            petals fused proximally. Length: About 4 mm. Width: About            4 mm. Shape: Rhomboid; concave. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire;            moderately undulate. Texture and luster, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Texture and luster,            throat and tube: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color: When            opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 67A. Fully            opened, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 67A; venation,            close to 67A; color does not change with subsequent            development. Throat and tube: Close to 67A; venation, close            to 67A.        -   Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: Four arranged in a single            whorl and fused at the base. Length: About 2 mm to 3 mm.            Width: About 1 mm. Shape: Subulate. Apex: Acuminate. Base:            Fused. Margin: Entire. Texture and luster, upper and lower            surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color: When opening and            fully opened, upper surface: Close to 144A. When opening and            fully opened, lower surface: Close to 144A.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 2 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Aspect:            Primary peduncles, upright; secondary peduncles, about 10            degrees from main peduncle axis. Strength: Moderately            strong. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; glossy. Color:            Close to 144B.        -   Pedicels.—Length: About 1 mm. Diameter: Less than 1 mm.            Aspect: About 60 to 90 degrees from peduncle axis. Strength:            Relatively weak. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous;            glossy. Color: Close to 144A.        -   Flower bracts.—Length: About 5 mm. Width: About 1 mm. Shape:            Acicular. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 137A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Two.            Filament length: About 7 mm. Filament color: Close to 70B.            Anther shape: Roughly oblong. Anther size: About 1 mm by            2 mm. Anther color: Close to 79A. Pollen amount: Moderate.            Pollen color: Close to 155A. Pistils: Quantity per flower:            One. Pistil length: About 7 mm. Stigma diameter: Less than            1 mm. Stigma shape: Capitate. Stigma color: Close to N79A.            Style length: About 6 mm. Style color: Close to 79B. Ovary            color: Close to N144A.        -   Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit development has            not been observed on plants of the new Veronica.-   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Veronica have    not been noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to    Veronica plants.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Veronica have exhibited good    garden performance and to be tolerant to rain, wind, temperatures    ranging from about −35C to about 30C and to be suitable for USDA    Hardiness Zones 4 through 9.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Veronica plant named ‘Dovercanhopi’as illustrated and described.